For much of his life, Bach was in charge of music at St. Thomas Lutheran Church in Leipzig, Germany. The scriptural basis for the second part is the encounter of the shepherds with the angels on the fields before Bethlehem (Lk. Year of release: 2001 This phenomenon is due in part to cultural conventions; but throughout history, Christmas has also inspired musical imagination more than any other Christian feast. . But again, the shepherds do not only appear as passive bystanders but the angel also encourages them to sing a lullaby for the newborn Child: “Then sing for him by his cradle—in a sweet tone and with united choir—this lullaby” (no. With this composition Bach not only tapped into a long history of music for the celebration of the birth of Christ, he also created a celebration of music itself and of music as a mode of human and divine encounter. Bach, the Christmas Oratorio text does not appear in Picander's published collection "Ernst-Schertzhaffte und Satyrische Gedichte" (Leipzig 1737), which seems to indicate that it was perhaps a joint effort rather than entirely his own work. 19). J.S. However, the opening sinfonia is more than just a musical genre painting, it describes an encounter. To revive discussion, seek broader input via a forum such as the, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Translation/Christmas_Oratorio&oldid=317165385, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Wikipedia has migrated to a new template system. Although Troutbeck’s translation tried to … However, his many other responsibilities, such as raising 20 … Bach: Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248 / Part Five - For The 1st Sunday In The New Year - No. that you, O long-desired guest, have now presented yourself” (no. Bach therefore decided to split the oratorio into six separate parts, each of them to be performed before the sermon in morning services of one of the two major churches in Leipzig. Bach uses the string instruments of the orchestra (here doubled by the flutes) to depict the arrival of the angels. refresh your breast, feel the delight” (no. Bach was then Thomaskantor, responsible for church music at four churches in Leipzig, a position he had assumed in 1723. possible translation}} to highlight the problems you Johann Sebastian Bach, John Eliot Gardiner, English Baroque Soloists, Nancy Argenta, Olaf Bär, Hans Peter Blochwitz, Alison Bury, Lisa Beznosiuk, Monteverdi Choir, Anne Sofie von Otter - Bach: Christmas Oratorio (Weihnachts Oratorium) - Amazon.com Music Recommended Citation: Rathey, Markus. The Christmas Oratorio, written for the turn-of-year feast days in 1734/35, was composed during a period in which Bach produced comparatively few new works for his Leipzig churches. 2, as well as free poetry and hymns. Each group also has its unique musical ideas. His other recent book, Bach’s Major Vocal Works, published by Yale University Press, includes a chapter on the Christmas Oratorio that explores the theological and liturgical contexts of the oratorio. Gradually, however, the oboes adopt musical ideas from the strings, and in the final moments of the sinfonia, the strings and oboes play the same motive. 23). What is more, Christmas is probably the only Christian feast that has developed its own unmistakable musical idiom: triple meter, simple texture, slow harmonic rhythm, organ points—these are not only the ingredients for a musical pastoral but they likewise characterize a wide array of popular Christmas songs, from “In dulci jubilo” to “Silent Night.”, Even in a society like ours, where communal singing has lost most of its former significance, Christmas carols still count among the best-known songs with religious texts. [9] Gesetze der Schule zu S. Thomae (Leipzig:Breitkopf, 1733), 5. [10] Music was part of how God revealed himself in the Christmas narrative, and it was at the same time a human answer: praise for the coming of Christ but also the expression of love and affection in the lullaby sung for the baby in the manger, “Sleep, my most beloved. Arise then! [5] For a more detailed discussion of this movement see Rathey, Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, 197–207. 24). In the Christmas Oratorio, Bach took virtually every solo from sacred music he had composed earlier and combined them with other choruses and instrumentals that were both new and old. Bach essentially follows the same pattern he had already used in the opening sinfonia, now applied to a setting of the central biblical text. For the historical instructions see Template:Translation/Instructions, Either the page is no longer relevant or consensus on its purpose has become unclear. The same is true for the opening movement of the third part of the oratorio: “Ruler of heaven, give heed to our babble, let our feeble songs praise you” (no. The first line sung in the opening chorus of Part 6 reminds us that the character of Christmas is far from that of a Hallmark greeting card. Perhaps the greatest offering of all is Johann Sebastian Bach’s Christmas Oratorio. 1). The second part of the oratorio (like the other parts as well), ends with a setting of a common congregational hymn. . < Anselm Hartinger, translation by Alice Noger-Gradon. The focus is no longer only on the shepherds; it is wider. We will join with you in song.” The text for the recitative finally spells out what the music had already represented several times, the combination of heavenly and human forces in the musical praise of God. The soothing sound of the Baroque pastoral and the festive splendor of concerto-movements from the first half of the eighteenth century seem to capture the Christmas spirit and are often appreciated even without a deeper knowledge of classical music. [3] The translations of the texts from Bach’s oratorio follow the excellent translation by Michael Marissen, Bach’s Oratorios: The Parallel German-English Texts with Annotations (New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008). Und es waren Hirten in derselben Gegend, BWV 248. . Bach envisions the angels and the shepherds as two “choirs,” two musical ensembles, which engage in a dialogue. contributions 16:06, 27 September 2007 (UTC) Interest of the translation: The German article is much more detailed than the English one. 5); Martin Luther (Mvts. (2016) “Music and Divine Encounter in Bach’s Christmas Oratorio,” The Yale ISM Review: Vol. Already the opening movement of the oratorio begins with the praise of God through music: “Shout, exult, arise, praise the days [of Christmas]. Traces of a similar view of music can also be found in other movements of the oratorio, albeit not as concentrated as in Part II. Harmony between God and man is represented by musical harmony. [4] At the beginning of his sinfonia, Bach juxtaposes these two sonic groups: the strings begin, then they are interrupted by the oboes, then the strings take the lead again, and so forth. The encounter between the human and divine spheres takes place in sound. The shepherds encounter the message of Jesus’s birth in music and their first response is music. [5] Symbolically speaking, the angels serve as a model for the music of the shepherds. Original Recording Format: DSD 64. “Triumph, rejoice!” – Bach’s oratrio of hope and renewal. The liturgy in his Leipzig churches did not provide a place to perform a piece of more than two hours in length. The angel then urges the shepherds to go to the manger and to see “the miracle” that has taken place. . - Rezitativ (Alt): "Sucht ihn in meiner Brust" by Anne Sofie von Otter and English Baroque Soloists and John Eliot Gardiner and The Monteverdi Choir 1:40 $1.29 Singable English translation of Bachs Christmas Oratorio. Bach's "Christmas Oratorio" is nowadays more likely to be heard and appreciated on record than in live performances. 2. sharing the joy of Bach’s music by broadening audiences in the nation’s capital, 3. nurturing the appreciation of Bach’s music through education and community outreach activities, and 4. interpreting the music of Bach for audiences of today, thereby ensuring his legacy. The hymn setting is accompanied by the instruments, and we hear again the musical motives from the opening sinfonia, as well as the intricate juxtaposition of strings (now playing together with the voices) and the nasal sound of the oboes. If the angels are singing, the shepherds have to be imagined as following their example by singing, as well. The opening chorus, “Celebrate, rejoice, rise up and… glorify what the Highest has done today,” was completely original. [2] Some of the parts were also repeated during the Vespers services; for the liturgical context see Markus Rathey, Johann Sebastian Bach’s Christmas Oratorio: Music, Theology, Culture (Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 2016), 120–125. Part I: The First Day of Christmas. Christmas and music seem to belong together. I, Biel: Heilmann, 1746, col. 1039. Music—here the songs and psalms sung in the honor of God—serves as a celebration of the birth of Jesus. 3: 4-7 / Acts 6: 8-15 & 7: 55-60; Gospel: Matthew 23: 35-39 / Luke 2: 15-20 Do not forget I. In particular, you can use {{Doubt | original sentence Bach’s sinfonia enacts this synthesis musically by leading the two musical choirs, which are distinct in motive and color, to a sonic synthesis. If this request was not resolved and is still valid, please re-request it by following the instructions at, This translation system has been deprecated in favour of, This page was last edited on 30 September 2009, at 21:47. Break forth into song, full of shouting and rejoicing” (no. encounter during the translation process. While the biblical narrative expects the angels to sing their angelic Gloria, nowhere do we read in the Gospel of Luke that the shepherds made music as well. This section is for all those who have requested this translation, are translating or proofreading this article, or just want to give some advice about the translation in progress. . Translation by Francis Browne (www.bach-cantatas.com) Bach—Christmas Oratorio: Frohe Hirten Frohe Hirten, eilt, ach eilet, Eh ihr euch zu lang verweilet, Eilt, das holde Kind zu sehn! Program Notes J.S. . . Even though the text does not mention it directly, the divine praise from the human chorus is again modeled on the praise sung by the angels. For an English translation and remarks on the theological and musicological context of this view of music see Rathey, Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, 191. The opening chorus, “Celebrate, rejoice, rise up and… glorify what the Highest has done today,” was completely original.

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